Method of promoting combustion.



M. A. MALLOY.

NOW BY JUDICIAL CHANGE OF NAME M. A. TAYLOR.

METHOD or PROMOTING comausnow.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I2, 19]].

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

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awe/whom COLUMBIA PLANDURAPH Co WASHINGTON. D. c.

M. A. MALLOY.

NOW 3v JUDICIAL CHANGE or NAME M. A. TAYLOR. METHOD OF PROMOTING COMBUSTION.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 19H. 1,152,333. Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

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MARY A. MALLOY, (new BY JUDICIAL CHANGE or NAME MARY A. TAYLOR) or rear- LAND, onn'eoiv, AssIenon TO DANIEL r nnincs, or sen FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 311, 1915.

-,Application filed July 12, 1911. Serial No. 638,192.

1 b alt whom it may Concern Be it known that I, MAR A. MALLOY, citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Methods of Promoting Combustion; and I do hereby de: Clare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such asfwill enable others skilled in the art to'which 1t appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompany ng drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved method of promoting combustion.

The object of the invention 1s to lIliZI'O- duce currents of air through a confined body of fuel, and control the same by an inde pendent air current after said first mentioned air currents are intermixed with the products of combustion and at a point remote from the confined body of fuel. 1

In carrying out my improved methodfa constant minimum current of air is passed through the confined body of fuel, to at all times promote a limited degree of combustion whereby the fuel is maintained at suificient temperature to release a small percentage of the gases, exceptwhen it is desired to put the fire out. This minimum current of air is maintained as long as any unconsumed molecules of gas remain in the particles of fuel and is under no particular control, except when it is desired to let the combustion die out, its force is checked, but its influence on the remaining unconsumed gases remains and prevents explosions. In

addition to the constant minimum supply of air, a larger or maximum supply of air un der control is also passed through the con: fined body of fuel to still further. liberate the gases and increase the combustion to a greater degree, the combustion generatedby the various air currents being directed to the influence of a regulated independent current of air after leaving the confined body of fuel, so as to control the combustion and hold the same in suspension without decreasing the temperature. Q By this improved method the products of combustlon are under perfect control and the fuel is materially conserved.

In order to illustrate a structure for carbodied in a type of parlor stove burning common fuel; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same stove; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the door of the fuel inlet provided in the upper part of the casing of the combustion chamber of mystove; Fig. 4c is a horizontal section of the door of the draft chamber located directly below the grated bottom of the combustion chamber; Fig 5 is a horizontal section taken on a line AA, Fig. 1.

Referring to the construction illustrated in Fig. 1, it will be noted that the casing is provided with a combustion chamber at, having a grate b, in the bottom. Below the grate Z), is a draft chamber 0, which constitutes also an ash pit. This chamber is provided with an opening or air-inlet (Z, cov= eredby a gate a, of the construction illus trated in Fig. 4; said gate having a seriesof perforations 7, so that when the gate 0, is

entirely closed there will still be admitted a continuous minimum flow of air into the draft chamber, and thence through the grate bars 6., However, instead of a series of perforations as 7, in the door, any means adapted topermit the constant inflow of a minimum volume of air, when the gate is closed, will answer; Below the draft-chamber c, is provided a controlling draftchamber 5/, having a door it, provided with an air-inlet 6, controlled by a gate 7', adjustable by a latch 18. .The air-inlet i, must be close to the bottom of the chamber g. The upper part of the combustion chamber, a, is connected by a passageway is with the upper part of the controlling-draft chamber g. This passage-way may be a plpe arranged as shown in Fig. 1. The chamber 9 is provided" wgi f tion shown in the drawings (but variable for higher altitudes), so as to keep the heated gases drawn from the combustion 'chamberfthrough the passage-way L, into controlling-draft chamber'g, and the cold air, drawn into the latter through its airinlet 2', separated from each other; that is I to 'sayif the chamber 9 isproperly proportioned, as mentioned, the cold heavier air flowing in through inlet 2' will keep to the "bottom of such chamber, following approxi- 1 g from the combustion chamber, such lower I i so.

' w the proper Workmg of my furnace, but cause an excessive and explosive accumulation or gasesin the combustion chamber.

mately the lower course indicated by the arrow o through outlet m while the hotter gases, drawn from the combustion chamber, will follow approximately the upper course,

indicated by the arrow 72., through outlet m. That this is true may be readily ascertained by applying the hand to the outlet m.

It'will be found warm at the top and comparatively cold at the bottom. This result is one of the most important features of my furnace. For this reason the air-inlet i is located close to the bottom of the chamber 1g. For if the cold lower draft, admitted into the chamber 9, comes into contact with the draft drawn in at the top of the chamber draft, being so muchstronger than'the' upper, is liabel to out off the latter, choke it as it were, which would not only interfere with I On the other hand, in my construction, any such dangerous condition is absolutely prevented, and could not possibly be brought about. The minimum air-inlet of the draft-chamber '0," the maximum inlet of the controllingdraft-chamber g, and the cross section of the outlet m, of the latter, must be relatively proportioned. Thema'ximum volume of air admitted through the gate cOntrOlled inlet 11 of the controlling-draft chamber 9, must not exceed approximately one-third of the cross section area of the outlet'm, and theminiv damper opening of the draft-controlling chamber is larger than the opening of the exit flue, the opening of the 'exit'flue being two and one third times larger-than the draft inlet opening in the'gate'h; the gate opening in the draft inlet chamber about equaling the size of the opening to the exit flue, but being larger than the gate opening the draft controlling chamber. By proportioning thepartsas mentioned. the gates of the air,-inlets*of'the draft-chamber. and

' 'the'controlling-draft chamber provide reliable means forcontrolling the intensity of the fire in my stove according to existing conditions and requirements. These fea tures also render my furnace an efficient heating device for all altitudes and climates.

The principle of operation of my furnace will now be readily understood. The draft of the chimney is apportioned between and changeable from the draft-chamber c to the chamber 9 and vice versa. The admission of air through the draft-chamber c is adjustable for limiting the air-draft to the fuel proportionately to the desired degree of heat. The two streams of air simultaneously drawn by the chimney through the chambers c and g, respectively, may be said to be balanced, either one being relatively increased as the other is proportionately decreased. This result is attained because the gate-controlled air-inlets of said chambers 0,. g, and the outlet from the chamber 9 to the chimney are, respectively, relatively proportioned as described. By opening slightly the door 72, of the controlling draft chamber 9, and closing the gate of the air-inlet of the draft-chamber a, the'strong air suction of the chimney through the chamber 9 cuts oil the weaker draft through the chamber 0, and the fire will consequently die out in a short-time. In order to accomplish this result, however, the combustion chamber a,

above the grate, I), must be air-tight, as mentioned; for, if there should be any leakage of air into the combustion chamber, the drafts could not be efficiently controlled and the fire continue burning, notwith standing, until all the fuel on the grate is consumed. The described construction also enables me' to so adjust the drafts as to keep a steady, economical and eflicient fire indefinitely in other words, using up the fuel in a most economical manner, regardless of the quantity of fuel on the grate, at the same time getting aconstant and continuing degree of heat, until all the fuel on the grate is consumed. And all the attention my furnace requires for this purpose is an occasional shaking of the grate. For a slow fire the gate of the air-inlet of the draft chamher 0 may be closed entirely, since its perforations will still admit suflicient air to keep the fire alive, and prevent undue accumulation of gases and danger of explosion. This result could not be had in furnaces of common construction for obvious reasons.

By reason of my furnace being air-tight atthe top and sides, above the grate, all the air which enters into the combustion chamber must, in the first instance, pass through the grate and the bed of coals thereon, thus becoming heated. The waste gases, being very much lighter than air, are easily drawn off by a gentle draft through the passageway into the controlling-draft chamber, and thence up'theflue' of the stack, while the heat is held in and radiated from the dome or upper part of the combustion chamber.

In order to replenishthe fuel while there is still a fire in my furnace, the draft through the gate of the air-inlet-of the e of the draft chamber 0 is opened wide until the fire is burning brightly, then the gate j of the controlling-draft chamber 9 should be opened sufiiciently to prevent the fiamc and heat from being drawn up the chimney. After a while both drafts are adjusted, as required, to obtain a constant temperature of the desired degree. A large amount of fuel on the grate does not interfere with the working of my furnace and the fuel is used up no faster than required to produce the desired degree of heat.

The frame of the door 0, of the fuel inlet a, must have an air-and-gas-tight contact with the casing portion to which it is attached. The gate 6, of the draft chamber 0, must have a substantially air-tight fit at its rim with the casing against which it abuts, for otherwise the amount of air admitted through the apertures of the door could not be as efiiciently regulated.

From practical demonstrations l find that by controlling the products of combustion by a current of air, remote from the confined body of fuel, the combustion is increased, and is conserved without in any wise decreasing the temperature. This is highly important as it enables me to utilize all the fuel and furthermore the usual large pro portion of waste heat passing to the atmosphere is entirely saved.

In practice I find it essential to proportion the various air inlets, exit flue, and the chambers. As an illustration, for a flue having an outlet of approximately 28 square inches, the draft inlet opening in the draft chamber of about lxle inches or about t double the size of the outlet to the fiueor even larger. The opening in the door for the draft inlet chamber has an opening about 13 x12 inches, and the openings for the inlet of the constant minimum supply of air should be about square inch to one square foot of the area opening for the draft. The opening in the draft controlling chamber pproxiinates 6X8 inches larger than the flue outlet. The door for this opening must be larger than the outlet to the flue, but is proportioned to the size of the draft controlling chamber. The opening in the damper for the opening in the draft controlling chamher is 2X6 inches, which, plus the inlet opening in the door for the draft inlet chamber equals the opening to the flue. It is not essential that there be only one opening of each'as described above, but the area of the openings should be equal to the areas mentioned; The combustion chamber is approximately fifty times larger than the flue outlet, while the draft chamber is about forty times larger than the flue. The draft controlling chamber should have an area of not less than 1i,- times the. size of the draft chamber, which nearly equals the area of the combustion chamber. T prefer, however, to form the size of the draft'controlling chamber in accordance with the character of the fuel burned.

What I claim is:

1. The herein described method of promoting combustion consisting in providing an ignited bed of fuel in a confined space, supplying below the confined bed of fuel a constant minimum quantity of air to sustain combustion and an additional regulatable quantity of air at will to vary the rate of combustion, excluding the ingress of air to the combustion zone above the bed of fuel, causing the products of combustion to take a downward course through a Zone heated by the confined body of fuel, and supplying at Will a regulatable quantity of air in the path of the confined products of combustion at a point remote from where the said products of combustion pass through the heated zone to vary the draft.

2. The herein described method of promoting combustion consisting in providing an ignited bed of fuel in a confined space,

supplying below the fuel a constant current of air to sustain combustion, excluding the ingress of air to the combustion zone above the bed of fuel, causing the products of combustion to travel through a zone heated by the products of combustion, and then supplying an independent regulatable current of air in the path of the products of combustion after leaving the heated zone to vary the draft.

8. The herein described method of promoting combustion, consisting in providing an ignited bed of fuel in a confined space, supplying below the bed of fuel a constant minimum quantity of air to sustain combustion and an additional regulatable quantity of air at will, to vary the rate of combustion, excluding the ingress of air to the com bustion zone above the bed of fuel, causing the products of combustion while confined, to first take a downward course from the combustion zone and then an upward course to a point above said zone, and supplying at will, a regulatable quantity of air to the confined products of combustion at the lower portion of their path to vary the draft, substantially as described.

4:. The herein described method of protion, excluding the ingress of air to the combustion zone above the bed of fuel, causing the productsto pass through a zone heated by the products of combustion, and supply- ;ing a regulatable quantity of air in the path MARY A. MALLOY.

Witnesses:

CECIL LONG, GEO. W. MUGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

